Chapter 1

History and Philosophy

1.1 Introduction 1.2 History 1.3 Philosophy 1.4 Guiding principles 1.5 Constitution 1.6 Conclusion

History and Philosophy

1.1 Introduction A quick glance at some of the important milestones in the Awards past helps to understand how the existing Award structure and requirements have evolved. What underpins the Award, or its philosophy and ethos, is also a helpful basis to appreciate why the Award plays such a significant role in many peoples lives. Finally, th is chapter will look briefly at the Awards constitution, highlighting the key elements which guide the delivery of the Award.

1.2

History The original idea came from the same man who thought up Outward Bound and Atlantic (now United World) Colleges and Round Square. Kurt Hahn had been a Rhodes Scholar and Private Secretary to the last Imperial German Chancellor before becoming a schoolmaster. He founded a boarding school at Salem in Germany and then, having fled Germany in the early 1930 s, founded a school named Gordonstoun in Scotland. It was at Gordonstoun that The Duke of Edinburgh completed the Moray Badge, a direct precursor of the Award and something that Hahn felt could be used in many more places than just his school. However, the Second World War prevented further development and it wasnt until the early 1950 s that Hahn made approaches to The Duke of Edinburgh to establish a national badge scheme based on the old Moray Badge idea. By 1954, The Duke Edinburgh agreed that, if Hahn could get a representative committee together to give their approval to the general idea, he would be prepared to take the position of Chair. The Duke was also joined by Sir John (later Lord) Hunt, the leader of the first expedition to conquer Mount Everest. A first draft of the idea appeared in 1955 which was sent to voluntary youth and other relevant organizations. These discussions resulted in a scheme being launched, initially in an experimental form for three years.

The original aim was to motivate boys aged between 15 and 18 to become involved in a balanced programme of voluntary self-development activities to take them through the potentially difficult period between adolescence and adulthood. Within the first years of its establishment, the lower age limit was reduced to 14, where it has stayed ever since. A girls scheme was launched in 1958, and the two separate schemes were amalgamated in 1969. In 1957 the upper age limit was increased to 19, increased again in 1965 to 20, increased to 21 in 1969, and finally increased to 24 in 1980. Since 1956, the Award has developed and grown and now reaches young people in over 140 countries and territories under a number of different titles, for example The Duke of Edinburghs Award in the UK, The Presidents Award in Kenya, and The National Youth Achievement Award in Singapore. More specific national titles are also used, for example Premio Infante D. Henrique in Portugal and Avartti in Finland. Full details of the Awards presence in any particular country can be found onli ne at www.intaward.org. In May 1988, The Duke of Edinburghs Award International Association was formally constituted to act as a means for discussion and communication between members, and to uphold the principles and standards of the Award. In 2012, the full name of the organization was changed to The Duke of Edinburghs International Award Foundation. Today the basic principles of the Award have endured, but the activities and delivery continue to evolve and adapt to suit the changing demands of todays world and the varying needs of young people. The Award is now recognised as the worlds leading achievement award for young people and is used by organisations working with young people around the world. It is therefore important that the Award remains relevant to young people and their communities and it empowers them to be able to tackle the challenges they face, and have a positive impact both on themselves and their communities.

1.3

Philosophy The Award is about individual challenge. As every individual is different, so too are the challenges that young people undertake to achieve their Award. With guidance from their Award Leader, Assessor or other Award volunteers, each young person should be encouraged to examine themselves, their interests, abilities, and
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ambitions, then set themselves challenges in the four different sections of the Award. These challenges should require persistence and determination to overcome. Along the way participants may feel daunted or want to give up, but at the end will have the satisfaction of knowing they overcame the challenges and succeeded, learning about themselves, their hidden depths of character and developing as human beings in the process. It is important that these challenges are at the right level for the individual participant too easy and there will be no sense of real achievement, too difficult and the young person may give up in despair. Young people do not need to excel to achieve an Award; they simply need to set personally challenging goals for improvement and then strive to reach those goals. A demonstration of commitment will help a young person get out of the Award what they put in: essentially, there are no short cuts to a real sense of achievement. Finally, to help young people overcome their fears and challenges, the Award provides them with opportunities to learn from experience. Kurt Hahn, among others, helped to develop the philosophy of experiential learning, a process of making meaning from direct experience.

Action

Application

Reflection

Discussion

The aim of education is to impel people into value forming experiences to ensure the survival of these qualities: an enterprising curiosity, an undefeatable spirit, tenacity in pursuit and above all, compassion. It is culpable neglect not to impel young people into experiences, Kurt Hahn

Diagram 1 Experiential Learning Cycle

1.4

Guiding principles Individual Individuals design their own programme, which can be tailored to suit their personal circumstances, choices and local provision. They start at whichever level suits them best and they can take as long as they wish (within the age limit) to achieve their Award. Non-competitive Doing their Award is a personal challenge and not a competition against others. Every participants programme is tailor-made to reflect their individual starting point, abilities and interests. Achievable An Award is achievable by any individual who chooses to take up the challenge, regardless of ability, gender, background or location, with the right guidance and inspiration. Voluntary Whilst the Award may be offered within school, college, work time, custody or extracurricular activity, individuals choose to do a programme and must commit some of their free time to undertake their activities. Development Participating in their Award programme fosters personal and social development. Individuals gain valuable experiences and life skills, grow in confidence and become more aware of their environment and community transforming them in to responsible young adults. Balanced The Award provides a balanced framework to develop the individuals mind, body and community spirit by engaging them in range of activities in up to five different challenges. Progressive At each level of engagement, the Award demands progressively more time, commitment and responsibility from the participant.

Inspiration The Award inspires individuals to exceed their expectations. They are encouraged to set their own challenges and goals before starting an activity, aim for these goals and by showing improvement will achieve an Award. Persistence The Award requires persistence and cannot be completed with a short burst of enthusiasm. Participants are encouraged to continue with activities and to maintain their interest beyond their programme requirements. Enjoyable Participants and Leaders should find the Award enjoyable, fulfilling and rewarding.

1.5

Constitution Finally, the Awards Constitution outlines the framework within which the Award is managed and delivered. The key elements of this framework are The International Declaration, The Fundamental Principles, The Operational Principles, The Code of Practice, and Reciprocal Participation.

1.5.1 The International Declaration (Article One) The Award Programme concept is one of individual challenge. It presents to young people a balanced, non-competitive programme of voluntary activities which encourages personal discovery and growth, self-reliance, perseverance, responsibility to themselves and service to their community,

1.5.2 The Fundamental Principles (Article Two) The criterion for gaining an Award is individual improvement through persistence and achievement, taking into account the participants initial capabilities, and without any element of competition between participants. Participation is entirely voluntary and the individual participant has a completely free choice in the selection of the locally available options within the four sections. There is no discrimination against participation on grounds of gender, race, religion or political affiliation.

1.5.3 The Operational Principles (Article Three) Participants need to be between their 14th and 25th birthdays to be involved with the Award. The basic structure of the Award programme consists of the four mandatory sections: Service, Adventurous Journey, Skills, and Physical Recreation. There are three levels of Award: Bronze (for those aged 14 or over), Silver (for those aged 15 or over) and Gold (for those aged 16 or over). The minimum period of participation for direct entrants to qualify for an Award is six months for Bronze, 12 months for Silver, and 18 months for a Gold Award. At Gold level, participants undertake a Residential Project away from home.

1.5.4 The Code of Practice (Article Four) To maintain comparable standards of operating practice as advised by The Duke of Edinburghs International Award Foundations staff. To manage the Award programme fairly and impartially in all respects. To ensure that the Award is freely available to all young people of the appropriate ages, regardless of their gender, race, religion, political affiliation or any other personal circumstances.

1.5.5 Reciprocal Participation (Article Five) All National Award Authorities agree, in so far as it is possible under national law, to allow participants from any other National Award Authority to take part in their Award, and undertake to recognise the validity of achievements recorded by other National Award Authorities.

1.6

Conclusion The background and philosophy of the Award are fundamental to the evolution of a programme that remains able to meet the needs of young people. Their Award programme also provides them with a framework to develop life skills that enables them to deal with the challenges that life provides: essentially the Award aims to provide young people with the resilience to succeed in life.

Chapter 2

Impact
2.1 Introduction 2.2 Unique strengths 2.3 Benefits to young people 2.4 Measuring impact 2.5 Conclusion

Impact
2.1 Introduction Developing an understanding of the uniqueness, the benefits and the impact of the Award on young people and their communities helps to appreciate the value of mentoring and guiding young people through their Award. Many young people say that their Award Leader inspired them to complete their Award, demonstrating the Key role that a Leader plays in a young persons Award journey.

2.2

Unique strengths The unique strengths of the Award are that: It can be used by any group or organisation working with young people. It offers youth organisations and agencies a way of gaining international recognition for development activities with young people. It is based on enduring principles and robust methodology but is flexible enough to be used with any group of young people, whatever their needs. It focuses not on external and universal standards, but on self-directed learning based on individual goals any young person can take part and achieve their Award, whatever their starting point. It is a low-cost intervention which uses existing youth development networks and infrastructure to reach young people. Each new Award Leader trained to run the Award can ideally support about a dozen participants, however the number is often greater. It is a locally adaptable programme, flexible enough to meet the objectives of local and national youth policy objectives. It is supported by an extensive global network that ensures its quality, and provides access to youth development expertise, training and best practice.

2.3

Benefits to young people On achieving an Award and into the future, a young person should have developed many of the following highly transferable skills, behaviors and attitudes: Self-belief and self-confidence

A positive and realistic self-image they will know and accept their own strengths and weaknesses, and be more aware of their own potential An independent and self-motivating attitude A sense of responsibility to others A connection to their broader society New or improved interests, skills, and abilities A willingness to try new things New friendships and relationships with their peers and other generations The ability to make a plan and then make their plan happen Lifelong interests. Life skills health, negotiation, research, communication, problem solving, presentation skills Team skills

2.4

Measuring Impact As a non-formal educational programme, the Award can play a vital role in providing opportuniteis for young people to develop essential life skills, complimenting their formal education or workplace. This enables them to grow in confidence and in their ability to contribute positively to their communities. Its success and flexibility is evidenced by the fact that it has spread to over 140 countries and territories. The Award has developed a number of impact measures by examining existing research and evidence on the Awards effectiveness as a youth devel opment programme. Much of this evidence is based on young peoples own reports of how doing their Award has transformed their outlook. It also takes into account the views of employers, educational institutions, parents and youth leaders. The impact measures have been benchmarked against international frameworks such as the UNs Millennium Development Goals, and against the development objectives of regional and international organisations such as the Commonwealth Youth Programme. The Awards nine impact measures are: Impact 1: Improved educational attainment Improving young peoples attendance at school and college, their commitment to education and their achievement levels.

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Impact 2: Improved employability and sustainable livelihoods Improving young peoples employment levels and ability to support themselves financially when they need to do so. Impact 3: Improved health and well-being Increasing young peoples physical fitness, and their own sense of emotional and mental well-being. Impact 4: Increased participation in civic life Increasing young peoples involvement in volunteering and community activities, and their participation in the social and political life of their community. Impact 5: Social inclusion Improving community integration, acceptance of individual differences, and increasing the access of all young people to development opportunities. Impact 6: The environment Increasing young peoples awareness of environmental issues, and involvement in environmental and sustainability initiatives. Impact 7: Gender equality and the empowerment of women Bridging the gender gap and empowering marginalised young women, building their self-worth and enabling them to demonstrate their potential. Impact 8: Reduction and prevention of violence, conflict resolution and peacebuilding Reducing inter and intra-group conflict and violence, and building dialogue and cooperation within communities. Impact 9: Reduced re-offending (recidivism) rates Reducing youth crime and contributing to the reduction of re-offending rates. 2.5 Conclusion Understanding the impact that the Award has on the lives of young people is a great motivator, both to participate and to support the Award. The Award impacts on everyone to varying degrees, and so understanding particular impacts allows us to identify those that have most to gain.

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Chapter 3

Structure and requirements

3.1 Introduction 3.2 Structure 3.3 Delivery 3.4 Levels 3.5 Sections 3.6 Participant registration 3.7 Participant age requirements 3.8 Starting another level 3.9 Participant time requirements 3.10 Conclusion

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Structure and requirements

3.1 Introduction The Award is delivered internationally through the International Award Association, a global and diverse network of national operators and other delivery partners, varying in scale from those with hundreds of thousands of participants and many full time staff, to those with just a few hundred participants and no full time staff. The Awards requirements, many unchanged since the beginnings of the Award in 1956, also provide the broadest of frameworks to give young people the chance to experience opportunities to develop their life skills.

3.2

Structure The structure of the Award network is designed to support young people through their Award experience, ensuring that young people remain the priority at all levels.

Structure of the Award

Group

Leaders

Supervisors

Volunteers

Participants

Assessors

Unit or Centre

Leaders

Volunteers

Coordinators

Operating Authority

Volunteers

Managers

Officers

National Authority or Operator

Volunteers Trustees Partners Staff Ambassadors Volunteers Trustees Staff

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International Award Foundation

3.3

Delivery Within Award Units, Centres and Groups, the Award is delivered by schools, colleges, universities, employers, social clubs, uniformed, and non-uniformed youth organisations, young offenders institutions, religious organizations, sports clubs, civil organisations and so on. Young people who are not members of any formal organisation can also do the Award; usually by registering their interest directly with their national, regional or local level Award operator or with their Independent Award Centre or Independent Award Open Centre, whatever is appropriate (See the glossary of terms in Chapter 11 for further clarification). Once each level of the Award is completed satisfactorily, as explained in the following chapters, the young person receives a certificate and pin and/or medal at a suitable recognition ceremony; this is usually at the local level for Bronze and Silver, and at a national or suitable ceremony for Gold, often in the presence of the Head of State or prominent dignitary in order to recognise the participants achievement. By doing the Award, young people should be encouraged to show imagination, to be able to look beyond barriers and to set goals, not limits. The challenge is for young people to make things happen rather than waiting for things to happen for them.

3.4

Levels There are three levels of Award: Bronze, Silver and Gold. At each level, participants must set themselves personal goals in each section. These goals should be achievable and progressive, and ultimately allow the young person to feel a sense of achievement when they complete each section. It is important that the Award Leader and Assessor help the young person identify and try to achieve these goals.

3.5

Sections The Award has four sections designed to provide a balanced programme of personal development. These sections are as follows: Service, which aims to understand the value of giving service to others and their community. Skills, which encourages the development of personal interests, creativity or practical skills. Physical Recreation, which encourages participation in sport and other physical recreation for the improvement of health and fitness.
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Adventurous Journey, which encourages a spirit of adventure and discovery whilst undertaking a journey in a group. There is also an additional requirement to complete a Residential Project by the completion of the Gold level. This project broadens a young persons experience through involvement with others unknown to them in a residential setting.

3.6

Participant registration Enrolment or registration in the Award commences by mutual agreement between the participant and their Award Leader. In many countries this agreement is usually marked by the payment of a small fee contact your local Award office for more information about fees in your country. The registration process also involves the issuing of a username and password if online, or the provision of a Record Book if offline. Only activities undertaken after a young persons enrolment date can count towards their Award the Award Leader and participant therefore must discuss and agree the start date.

3.7

Participant age requirements The Award is available to young people between their 14 th and 25th birthdays. If a participant is unable to complete their Award before their 25 th birthday because of illness, accident or other unavoidable circumstances, application for an extension needs to be made by the participants Award operator to the relevant na tional office or to the International Award Foundation. The minimum starting age for each level are: Bronze Silver Gold 14 years 15 years 16 years

Once participants are above these minimum ages, they may choose to enter the Award at any level. At Bronze level, if a young person is a few months younger than 14, but they are part of a peer group where the majority are 14 or older, then some discretion is given to national operators to allow them to start the Bronze level with the rest of their peer group. Independent Award Centres and Independent Award Open Centres are required to obtain permission from The Duke of Edinburghs International Award Foundation.

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Discretion and permission also applies to allow participants who have completed their Bronze level, but who have not yet reached the age of 15, to make a start on their Silver level without imposing a delay. No activity undertaken before a participants 16th birthday counts towards their Gold level. The minimum ages for completing the Award are: Bronze All entrants: 14 years and 6 months Silver Bronze level Award holders: 15 years and 6 months Direct entrants: 16 years Gold Silver level Award holders: 17 years Direct entrants: 17 years and 6 months This means that participants who are given a concession to start the Bronze and Silver levels early need to spend longer doing their Award than the minimum period of participation.

3.8

Starting another level Participants should be encouraged to complete all sections of one level of their Award before progressing on to another level. If it proves difficult to do this, then they may start with a section at the next level provided that: They have completed that section in the current level. They have reached the minimum age of entry for the new level. They are not working on all three levels at the same time.

3.9

Participant time requirements As the Award is a programme of individual challenge, participants are encouraged to work at their own pace. The Award is referred to as a marathon, not a sprint; subject to the maximum age limit, participants can take as long as they want to complete their Award. In the Skills, Physical Recreation and Service sections, participants are required to participate regularly in their chosen activity. There is no absolute rule as to what is
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considered regular participation, as the amount of time dedicated to an activity will depend on many things including the activity itself and the participants own circumstances. However, on average, participants should be spending at least one hour per weed on their chosen activity. The Award cannot be achieved in a shorter time span by working more intensely; the objective is to develop a sense of commitment to given task over time. Participants must persist for at least these minimum periods: Minimum period of participation by Level Bronze Silver Gold Direct entrants 6 months 12 months 18 months Award holders Not applicable 6 months (if Bronze holder) 12 months (if Silver holder)

Minimum timescale for each by section Physical Recreatio n 3 months Skills Service Plus.. Adventurous Journey

Bronze

Silver

Gold

All participants must do an 2 days + 1 night extra 3 months in either Physical Recreation or Skills or Service 6 months 6 months 6 months Non Bronze holders must 3 days + 2 do an extra 6 months in nights either Physical Recreation or Skills or Service 12 months 12 months 12 months Non Silver holders must do 4 days + 3 an extra 6 months in either nights Physical Recreation or Skill or Service *Plus additional requirement of 5 days & 4 night Residential Project

3 months

3 months

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3.10

Conclusion The Awards requirements and structure have remained largely unchanged over the years because they provide for a straightforward and effective framework that allows young people to commit to and experience activities that have a positive impact on their lives. The requirement of commitment over time is the key element to ensuring that young people realise the experiential learning cycle referred to earlier in Chapter 1.

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Chapter 4

Mentoring young people through their Award

4.1 Introduction 4.2 The process 4.3 Planning and preparing for an activity 4.4 Doing a section activity 4.5 Recording activities 4.6 Changing activities 4.7 Activities within a group 4.8 A participants diary 4.9 Reviewing activities 4.10 Recording completion of an activity 4.11 Authorization of an Award 4.12 Conclusion

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Mentoring young people through their Award

4.1 Introduction This chapter concentrates on the role that adults, especially Award Leaders and Assessors, have in the mentoring of and supporting a young person through their Award. Evidence from recent research shows that Award Leaders and other volunteers play a significant role in inspiring young people to finish their Award.

4.2

The process Once the participant has enrolled on to the Award, they need to be guided by an adult mentor who is familiar with the Award and can provide advice and encouragement; this is the role of the Award Leader. The Award Leader therefore needs to understand about the sections and levels of the Award and will assist directly or indirectly with helping the participant set and achieve challenging goals. The Award Leader should ideally stay in touch with their participants throughout their Award or, if the participant is moving on, try to ensure that they are mentored by another Award Leader. As a guide, many Award Leaders meet their Award Groups participants once a week, usually for no more than one hour, however this can be less if communication is online. Put simply, the process that the Award Leader, Assessor and participant go through when undertaking each section is plan, then do, then review. The participant is obviously engaged throughout this process, with their Award Leader and Assessor guiding and mentoring them from start to finish. Their roles are especially important in ensuring that the participant sets achievable goals from the start and reflect on the impact of their activity at the end.

4.3

Planning and preparing for an activity To start the Award, participants should work with their Award Leader to choose their activities in all four sections, as well as the Residential Project at Gold level, and make an achievable and realistic plan to start doing their activities. There is no set syllabus or common standard to achieve, rather a personal goal to set. Participants should
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choose activities that interest them and are suitable to pursue over a sustained period of time. As far as possible, the ideas should come from the participant with the Award Leader acting as a facilitator. Participants may end up with a definite plan of action after the first briefing or may have to research for further details. Award Leaders should help participants, if required, but should not end up doing all the work. Remember that the Award is first and foremost the participants own programme. In the Skills, Service and Physical Recreation sections, participants, helped by their Award Leader, should find an adult who is knowledgeable and experienced in that activity and can help them to set individually challenging and realistic goals. Such an adult is called an Assessor or Activity Coach, definitions for which are provided in the glossary in Chapter 11 of this Handbook. These goals should be achievable in the timeframe of the Award and should take into account the starting ability of the participant. Depending on the activity, the legal framework, and the available resources, this adult could be a professional teacher or qualified instructor, or could be experienced and knowledgeable without any formal qualification, but who can guide and teach the participant. The Assessor, Activity Coach or instructor does not need to be fully familiar with the entire Award. However, he or she must understand the essence and philosophy of the Award. The Award Leader needs to ensure that the Assessor or equivalent understands that it is about a young person setting challenging personal goals, regularly participating, and achieving improvement. It is not about achieving excellence or becoming expert, although some young people may do this. In helping a young person choose their activities for each section, the Award Leader should try to encourage a young person to do something new that would be challenging and enjoyable for them. Taking on a new challenge would give the young person a new experience and skills, and may also be useful in a future career. In the Adventurous Journey section, the purpose and nature of the journey needs to be agreed by the team and their Adventurous journey Supervisor, with the Assessor verifying that the journey has been successfully carried out. Please see Chapter 8 of this Handbook for more information about the Adventurous Journey section as well as the glossary in Chapter 11 for details of the role of the Adventurous Supervisor. For the Residential Project, the participant and Award Leader should agree on the activity and a suitable Assessor. For more information about the Residential Project, please see Chapter 9 of this Handbook. In the Adventurous Journey and Service sections, participants are required to do some training to ensure their own safety and the safety of others. For more information on this, please refer to Chapter 8 (Adventurous Journey section) and Chapter 5 (Service section).
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4.4

Doing a section activity Participants carry out their activity and should strive to achieve their goal. Once they have pursued their activity for at least the minimum period (see respective section chapters of the Handbook for exact requirements), and shown commitment and improvement, they then get their online or offline Record Book signed by their Assessor. An Assessor, in addition to being knowledgeable, experienced and where appropriate qualified in the activity, should also provide opportunities to: Discuss progress with the participant Clarify any questions and provide guidance Help the participant to solve difficulties and problems Give advice on suitable interim targets to achieve Allow the participant to learn from their experience During their activity, a participant may find their original goal too challenging or too easy, and so should revise it to make the challenge more appropriate. Participants should discuss this with their Award Leader or Assessor to agree their new goal or goals. Assessors can find further information about Award sections by visiting www.intaward.org.

4.5

Recording activities Whether online, or within a Record Book, the participant with the support of their Award Leader records their section goal or goals, and then the Assessor will report the completion of the section, providing details of training completed, time undertaken, any qualifications gained and general performance.

4.6

Changing activities If the initial choice of activity proves to be unsuitable, participants may choose another activity and count the time spent towards their overall minimum time requirement. This needs to be done in consultation with their Award Leader who should use judgment on how often this can happen. No purpose is served by forcing participants to continue with an activity that they dislike, however, allowing several changes of activity detracts from the aim of fostering commitment.

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The ideal situation is that the participant picks one suitable activity in each section, sticks with it for at least the required minimum amount of time, shows improvement, and ends up with a lifelong interest and sense of achievement. Participant should be encouraged to strive for this ideal.

4.7

Activities within a group Except for the Residential Project and Adventurous Journey section, which must be undertaken along with other people, participants may follow their chosen activity on their own or as part of a group. In all cases, it is the individual participants work and effort that counts. If a group activity ceases, owning to circumstances beyond the participants control, the effort they have made can still count towards their Award requirements, although they will have to make up any time shortfall in a new activity.

4.8

A participants diary In addition to their online or offline Record Book, participants should be encouraged to keep a diary or journal recording what they have done in their activity to provide suitable information for the Assessor to sign off their activity, This diary is also a lasting memento for the participants.

4.9

Reviewing activities The Assessor and participant should review each activity from time to time to give the participant an opportunity to raise any issues or concerns. At the end of a section, there should be a final review. This should look back over the entire process and look at what happened, how the participant felt, and what was learned from the experience. Participants should also, if possible, be encouraged to look forward to see how they can apply what they have learned in their activity to their life circumstances, and therefore how to benefit from their experience. The Award Leader or Assessor can specifically refer to the impact measures of the Award outlined in Chapter 2 and discuss with the participant how their experience relates to the impacts. For example, a participants Adventurous Journe y may directly relate to Impact 6: The environment, in that their journey increased the participants awareness of environmental issues.

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4.10

Recording completion of an activity The Assessor needs to verify that the participant has been showing regular commitment to their activity over at least the required minimum time, as well as making progress subject to their goals. The goals which were agreed at the beginning of the activity (or, if applicable, the revised ones) should have been achieved. The participants diary, journal or inputted online record is very useful as evidence. However, if the participant has not demonstrated the commitment and progress required to complete their activity, the online or offline Record Book should be left blank and the participant encouraged to continue. When the agreed goal or goals are achieved, the Assessor signs off the online or physical Record Book with any appropriate comments.

4.11

Authorisation of an Award Participants qualify for a level of the Award when they have completed the four sections and Residential Project (for the Gold level). It is the National Award Authority or International Award Foundations role (for Independent Award Centers and Independent Award Open Centers) to authorise Awards, and to inform the participant when and where they will receive their Award. Usually, Bronze and Silver Awards are presented at a local event, with Gold Awards usually presented at an event by a Head of State, ambassador or other high level dignity.

4.12

Conclusion The role of mentoring and supporting a participant through their Award is probably the most vital role of anyone involved with the Award. Especially important in that role is the review and reflection with the young person of their activities, therefore ensuring that they benefit from the impact that the Award hopes to provide. I grew up in a society where young people are usually relegated to the background due to cultural and traditional beliefs.. The Award introduced me to a set of civic values and attributes that has impacted on me. It has changed me to the edge and exposed me to best practice in youth development at national and international levels. Peter Anum, Gold Award holder from Ghana
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Chapter 5

Service Section
5.1 Introduction 5.2 Aim 5.3 Ethos 5.4 Impact and benefits 5.5 Requirements 5.6 The process 5.7 Examples 5.8 Conclusion

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Service Section
5.1 Introduction This section of the Award provides a young person with a sense of worth from having given sevice and help to others and their community. The opportunity to give service over an extended period of time also enables young people to witness and experience the benefits that their service provides to others and encourages them to become better citizens.

5.2

Aim To learn how to give useful service to others and their communities.

5.3

Ethos Participants should undertake an activity in which they give service to others and their community, and should learn and benefit from undertaking this service. The focus of the activity is to provide voluntary service to help create a caring and compassionate community, as well as developing participants own skills. As with all selections of the Award, participants learn by doing in keeping with the Award methodology of experiential learning. By undertaking service regularly over a period of time, rather than in a short concentrated time period, it is hoped that the young person will develop a lifelong commitment to voluntary service and community involvement.

5.4

Impact and benefits The specific benefits will obviously depend on the type of service chosen. Some general benefits include: Learning patience, tolerance and compassion. Overcoming ignorance, prejudice, apathy and fear. Increasing awareness of the needs and problems of others. Exploring and improving interpersonal skills and self-development skills. Enhancing leadership qualities.
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Trusting and being trusted. Making a real difference to the lives of others. Accepting the responsibility of commitment to others. Meeting new people from different backgrounds. Forming a lifelong habit of community involvement. Enjoyment and a sense of satisfaction in helping others. Being able to relate to others from different generations.

5.5

Requirements Service is a part of the Award where participants will have a real impact on the lives of other people as well as in their own life. It is therefore important that participants are properly prepared so that this impact is positive and preferably enduring.

5.5.1 Time requirements The time requirements for this section are broadly the same as the physical Recreation and Skills sections. Bronze participants and direct entrants at Silver or Gold level will have to devote some extra time to one section of their Award, and they may choose to make up this time in the Service section. For further explanation of how this works see the overall time requirements in Chapter 3.

Award Bronze Silver Gold

Minimum time 3 months 6 months 12 months

If Service chosen a longest section 6 months 12 months * 18 months **

* (non Bronze holders only or direct entrants) ** (non Silver holders only) In common with the Skills and Physical Recreation sections, the average minimum time to be spent on the Service section over this time period is one hour per week. In a structured environment, such as being a voluntary youth leader, the weekly sessions may be much longer than one hour and participants would be expected to be involved for the entire session, so as to contribute in a meaningful way.

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5.6

The Process

5.6.1 Plan Discuss expectations, set goals and complete any necessary training, for example a first aid course prior to carrying out first aid service. Also make sure that the Service activity differs from the other section activities to ensure a balanced program.

5.6.2 Do Carry out the Service activity subject to the time requirements, providing evidence during the activity to contribute to a diary or online equivalent. Also carry out periodic liaison with the Assessor to ensure the continued support to the participant.

5.6.3 Review Review the activity and record as completed in the record book or online equivalent. With regards to Service, increased participation in civic life is a recognised impact of the Award and helps to develop a participants sense of self worth, awareness of social issues and encourages empathy and responsibility towards others.

5.7

Examples The list of possible activities is almost unlimited and is often dictated by available resource or opportunities. To ensure the essential balance of the overall Award, participants and Award Leaders should be careful not to pick activities that are too similar to the chosen Physical Recreation or Skills activities in line with the Awards guiding principle of being balanced. There are many people and organisations that are willing to provide participants with opportunities for practical service. These include social workers, doctors, religious leaders, schools, hospital or prison authorities, youth departments, conservation groups, local government authorities, voluntary youth organisations, animal welfare organisations, service clubs, and agencies who work internationally such as UNICEF and Oxfam. The Award Leader should encourage participants to do some research in the local area. The following list gives some examples but is not exhaustive.

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5.7.1 People in the community Visiting people in need, such as elderly or disabled people, on a regular basis to provide assistance with shopping, gardening or other domestic tasks, or simply to keep them company. Voluntary work in hospitals and care centers. Visiting prisons or detention centers under the auspices of the proper authorities. Helping with a local community radio, newspaper or blog. Sports coaching or leadership. First aid doing a course and then making their skills available to the benefits of the local community, i.e. being a firstaider at football matches or dance competition.

5.7.2 Youth work Acting in a leadership role in a youth club or uniformed youth organisation. Assisting in the teaching of primary school children. In the case of Gold participants, helping other young people participate in the Award by acting as a Leader for Bronze or Silver participants under the guidance of ones own Award Leader.

5.7.3 Community education and health education Working with experienced persons to educate the local community, or specific group within it, on important issues such as prevention of leprosy or malaria, combating HIV/AIDS, primary health care, immunisation campaigns, drug or alcohol awareness education , Teaching a person to read or write.

5.7.4 Environment service Participating in a conservation project. e.g. clearing wasteland, cleaning a river, or caring for threatened wildlife or trees Caring for public or school garden Providing, maintaining and encouraging the use of public waste collection. Caring for animals Working in a clean-up campaign Promoting environment sustainability

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5.7.5 Charity work Fundraising for charity Creating or maintaining a charity website or newsletter

5.7.6 Emergency services Helping an emergency service team, e.g. fire services, surf life-saving, lifeboats, coastguard, police, mountain rescue or civil defense Assisting with local or national disaster operations

5.8

Conclusion With 1.2 billion young people making up almost a fifth of the global population it is more important than ever to listen and collaborate with them to bring about positive change. This means encouraging new and non-traditional means of political and civic engagement. Active participation in volunteerism, or service, through the Award enables young people to develop their knowledge, skills and maturity. The Award develops their sense of self-worth, an awareness of social and global issues, and encourages empathy and responsibility towards others. In 2010, Award participants worldwide completed over 4.1 million hours of service within their communities. You are not comparing yourself with anyone, you are not competing with anyone, what you are actually doing is creating yourself. Brendan Kennelly, Irish poet and Presidents Award Leader

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Chapter 6

Skills Section
6.1 Introduction 6.2 Aim 6.3 Ethos 6.4 Impact and benefits 6.5 Requirements 6.6 The process 6.7 Examples 6.8 Conclusion

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Skills Sections
6.1 Introduction The skills section provides the opportunity for participant to either improve on an existing skill, or to try something new. As with other sections, a level of commitment over time to progress in a skill leads to a sense of achievement and well-being, as well as possibly leading to improved employability in line with the Awards impact measures.

6.2

Aims To encourage the development of personal interests and practical skills.

6.3

Ethos This section should stimulate new interests or improve existing ones. These interests are typically of a non-physically demanding nature and may be hobbies, vocational or job-related skills, social or individual activities, or cultural activities. Participants should be encouraged to interact with people who are experienced in the activity and so can share their enthusiasm and knowledge. As in the Physical Recreation section, participants may either take up a completely new activity or seek to improve their ability in an activity that they already do.

6.4

Impact and benefits The specific benefits to the participant will depend on the skill chosen, but there are some benefits that are more general. These include: Discovering new abilities and developing these or improving existing talents Increasing self-confidence by successfully setting and achieving a goal. Refining awareness of ones own potential. Developing time management and planning skills. Enhancing self-motivation Interacting socially by meeting new people and interacting with other people, often older, in a meaningful way. Improving employability by learning vocational skills. Enjoyment.
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6.5

Requirements Participants should choose an activity which they find interesting and will be able to follow over a sustained period of time, following the goal-setting approach outlined in Chapter 4. To ensure the essential balance of their overall Award, participants and Leaders should be careful not to pick activities that are too similar to their chosen Service or Physical Recreation activities.

6.5.1 Time requirements The timer requirements for this section are the same as the Physical Recreation and Service sections. Bronze participants and direct entrants at Silver or Gold level will have to devote some extra time to one section, and they may choose to make up this time in the Skills section. For an explanation of how this works, see the overall time requirements in Chapter 3.

Award Bronze Silver Gold

Minimum time 3 months 6 months 12 months

If Skills chosen a longest section 6 months 12 months (non Bronze holders only) 18 months (non Silver holders only)

6.6

The process

6.6.1 Plan Discuss expectations, set goals and ensure that there is suitable cooperation between the Leader and Assessor, for example in the case of a musical teacher where the skill is playing an instrument. Also make sure that the Skills activity differs from the other section activities to ensure a balanced program. 6.6.2 Do Carry out the Skills activity subject to the time requirements, providing evidence during the activity to contribute to a diary or online equivalent. Also ensure that the participant is progressing with their skill to help them gain in confidence and knowledge during their section. If the participant is not progressing, consider changing their activity to something that they will progress with.

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6.6.3 Review Review how the participant has progressed during their Skills section and record their completion as necessary. It is also helpful to consider in the review of the participants activity if it helps for example with their employability. 6.7 Examples The list of possible activities is almost unlimited but participants should be careful not to pick activities that are considered, in Award terms, to be a Physical Recreation or a Service section activity. Examples of Skills are: 6.7.1 Music Playing an instrument Singing Learning musical theory Music event management

6.7.2 Sports related Sports officiating Umpiring and refereeing Sports equipment maintenance Sports ground maintenance

6.7.3 Arts and crafts Calligraphy Drawing History of art Painting Photography Sculpture Graphic design

Ceramics Clay modeling Embroidery Dressmaking Glass painting Jewel making

6.7.4 Nature and the environment Agriculture Aquarium keeping Astronomy Bee keeping Bird watching Conservation Meteorology Dog training and handling Fishing Forestry Gardening Horticulture Horse care and handling

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6.7.5 Communication Film and video making Film studies Sign language Braille Foreign languages Newsletter and magazine production Reading Writing Presentation skills Public speaking and debating Digital media Journalism Information technology Website development

6.7.6 Games Billiards, snooker or pool Card games Chess Draughts Darts Backgammon Other table games

6.7.7 Life skills Business management Financial literacy Entrepreneurship Health awareness

6.7.8 Technical and vocational skills Accounting Hairdressing Vehicle maintenance Engineering Fashion Furniture making Furniture restoration Metal work Tailoring Carpentry Cookery

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6.7.9 Performance skills Drama and theatre skills Circus skills Puppetry

6.8

Conclusion As a non-formal educational programme, the Award can help bridge the gap between the skills that employers are looking for, and those which formal educational system typically provide. The Award cultivates skills such as the specific ones outline above and, more generally, such skills as leadership, teamwork and cooperation, flexibility, problem solving, negotiating and influencing, and communication, which not only appeal to employers but which can also drive job creation and socio-economic empowerment.

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Chapter 7

Physical Recreation section

7.1 Introduction 7.2 Aim 7.3 Ethos 7.4 Impact and benefits 7.5 Requirements 7.6 The process 7.7 Examples 7.8 Conclusion

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Physical Recreation section

7.1 Introduction Encouraging healthy behaviors has benefits, not only for participants but for their communities, whether through improved health, or active participation in team activities. The Physical Recreation section therefore specifically aims to improve the health, team skills, self-esteem and confidence of participants. The chosen activities should also be considered alongside other section activities in line with the Awards guiding principles.

7.2

Aim To encourage participation in physical recreation to help improve performance, health and fitness.

7.3

Ethos This section should encourage participants to improve their personal physical performance through training and perseverance in their chosen activity. Involvement in physical recreation should be an enjoyable experience, regardless of physical ability. This section is based on the belief that a healthy body is a good end in itself and can often help to develop a healthy mind. Physical activity is essential for a persons well-being, and by introducing young people to enjoyable physical activity they will hopefully develop long-term beneficial habits. Accomplishing a physical challenge also gives a lasting sense of achievement and satisfaction. As in the Skills section, participants may either take up a completely new activity or seek to improve their ability in an activity that they already do.

7.4

Impact and benefits Taking part in any form of physical activity has many benefits, including some or all of the following: Developing a healthy lifestyle Improving fitness Increasing self-esteem
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Interaction socially, especially in a team sport, but also through meeting people with interest in a similar individual sport Enhancing self-discipline, perseverance and self-motivation Experiencing a sense of achievement Raising awareness of the variety of opportunities available in the area Encouraging teamwork, if the activity is a team sport Enjoyment

7.5

Requirements The requirements apply equally to all young people, regardless of physical ability. They are just as applicable to elite athletes as to those who are not familiar with spot. Participation, persistence and improvement are the key outcomes. Working with their Award Leader, participants should choose a physical activity that interests them and in which they can show improvement over a sustained period of time, following the goal-setting approach outlined in Chapter 4. To maintain the essential balance o the Award, participants should be careful not to pick activities that are too similar to the chosen Service or Skills activities. It is often helpful, where possible; to link in with a club or follow a programme of a sports national governing body in order to provide structure to the activity. This is not a requirement, but it can be very helpful for participants and their Leader or Assessor in aiding them to come up with a meaningful and measurable goal. Participants may choose a physical activity that they do on their own or as part of a team, and although the Award itself is non-competitive, competitive sports are perfectly acceptable for Award purposes. In the cased of team sport, it is the individual participants personal effort and commitment that counts.

7.5.1 Time requirements The time requirements for this section are broadly the same as the Skills and Service sections. Bronze participants and direct entrants at Silver or Gold level will have to devote some extra time to one section of the Award, and they may choose to make up this time in the Physical Recreation section. For further explanation of how this works see overall time requirements in Chapter 3.

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Award Bronze Silver Gold

Minimum time 3 months 6 months 12 months

If Physical Recreation chosen as longest section 6 months 12 months (non Bronze holders only) 18 months (non Silver holders only)

In common with the Skills and Service sections, the average minimum time to be spent on the Physical Recreation over this time period is one hour per week. In a structured environment, such as being part of a sports team, the weekly training and competition sessions may be longer than one hour and the participant would be expected to be involved for the entire session. 7.6 The Process

7.6.1 Plan Discuss expectations, set goals and ensure that there is suitable cooperation between the Leader and Assessor or Activity Coach, for example a participants football coach. Also make sure that the Physical Recreation activity differs from the other section activities to ensure a balanced programme. 7.6.2 Do Carry out the Physical Recreation activity subject to the time requirements, providing evidence during the activity to contribute to a diary or online equivalent. 7.6.3 Review Review how the participant has progressed during their activity, especially reviewing whether it has improved their health and well being. 7.7 Examples The list of possible activities is almost unlimited but participants should be careful not to pick activities that are considered, in Award terms, to be a Skills section or Service section activity. Essentially, the chosen activity should be physically challenging or demanding for the participant. Examples of activities are:

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7.7.1 Ball sports Foot ball (of any description, i.e.rugby, soccer, Gaelic, Australian Rules, American) Volleyball\Basketball Netball Handball Cricket Golf Baseball Softball Hockey Tennis Squash Table tennis Lacrosse

7.7.2 Athletic Running Jumping (high or long) Throwing (hammer, javelin, shot put) Biathlon, triathlon, heptathlon or decathlon

7.7.3 Water sports Canoeing Kayaking Swimming Water polo Sailing Surfing Windsurfing Kite boarding Water skiing Diving Synchronized swimming Rowing Canoe polo Scuba diving

7.7.4 Winter sports Skiing Snowboarding Luge Bobsleighing Ice skating Ice hockey Curling

7.7.5 Martial arts Karate Aikido Judo Kickboxing Boxing

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Taekwondo Kung fu Fencing Kendo

7.7.6 Animal sports Horse riding Polo

7.7.7 Fitness activities Aerobics Running Skipping Walking Weight training

7.7.8 Adventure sports Rock climbing Mountaineering Parachuting Caving and pot holing Hang gliding Paragliding Kite surfing

7.7.9 Miscellaneous Dancing Cycling Gymnastics Weightlifting Trampolining Wrestling Roller Skating Skateboarding BMX Orienteering Badminton

7.8

Conclusion Young people regularly face risks that threaten their health and limit their learning opportunities. Through the Physical Recreation section, the Award provides a sound framework for health education and promotes healthy lifestyles. It can improve both physical and mental health, by building physical fitness and developing personal attributes such as self-esteem and confidence.

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Chapter 8

Adventurous Journey Section

8.1 Introduction 8.2 Aim 8.3 Ethos 8.4 Impact and benefits 8.5 Requirements 8.6 The process 8.7 Types and examples of Adventurous Journey 8.8 Conclusion

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Adventurous Journey Section

8.1 Introduction The opportunity to engage in adventurous activities in a new environment provides participants with the chance to learn more about their wider environment, as well as develop their self-confidence, teamwork and health. The Adventurous Journey section aims to take young people out of their comfort zone but within a safe and secure setting achieved through suitable training and supervision.

8.2

Aim To encourage a spirit of adventure and discovery whilst undertaking a journey in a group.

8.3

Ethos This section seeks to provide participants with a unique, challenging and memorable experience. The venture, with an agreed purpose, should be undertaken in a small team in an unfamiliar environment, requiring determination, physical effort, perseverance and co-operation to complete. The key elements of this section are teamwork in planning and undertaking a journey against the background of the real challenges posed by an unfamiliar environment. The environment chosen should be challenging but within the capabilities of the team.

8.4

Impact and benefits Working as part of a team Understanding group dynamics, the participants own role and the role of others in a team Enhancing leadership skills Improving planning and organizational ability, and attention to detail Learning to make real decision and accept real consequences Obtaining a sense of achievement and satisfaction by overcoming challenges and obstacles Developing self-reliance and independence Experiencing and appreciating the outdoor environment Gaining the appropriate knowledge and skills to journey safely in that environment and creativity by choosing their own journey Exercising imagination and creativity by choosing their own journey
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Improving their investigating, reviewing and presentational skills Enjoyment

8.5

Requirements All journeys need to have a clearly defined purpose. Participants need to have the appropriate skills to undertake their journey, so must undergo relevant training. Participants must undertake sufficient practice journeys to ensure that they have the ability to be self-reliant and safe in their chosen environment. During the qualifying journey, the team needs to be no fewer than four and no more than seven young people, operating independently of others. All the team members must be involved in the planning and preparation of the journey. Not all participants on the journey need to be completing their Award, but they should be peer group equals, making decisions together. All journeys must be supervised and assessed by experienced adults. The journey can take place on land or water. The team can travel by their own efforts (foot, cycle, paddle, oar and so on), by animal (horse, donkey, camel and so on) or by other non-motorised assistance (sail and so on). Accommodation must be in portable tents or other simple self-catering accommodation such as hostels, huts or similar shelter. The environment chosen must be unfamiliar to the participants. A natural and remote environment provides the appropriate conditions for the group to be selfreliant and independent. On completion, participants are required to present a report to their Assessor. This report can be written, photographic, verbal, a video diary, or by other imaginative means. Level Bronze Silver Gold Days 2 3 4 Nights 1 2 3 Minimum hours of purposeful effort 12 21 32 Minimum hours of purposeful effort per day 6 7 8

In an exploration, at least one third of the minimum hours of planned effort should be spent on journeying. The distance covered will depend on the speed of the team, which should be established in the practice journeys and should then inform the planning of the qualifying journey. For a physically able group of young people travelling by foot, this would normally mean minimum total distances of 24, 48 and 80 kilometers at
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Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels. Dense vegetation, very steep ground, or similarly challenging terrain would of course reduce what could be reasonably accomplished in the above minimum hours effort. The important criterion is the time spent journeying during the day (6/7/8 hrs) rather than the distance which is dictated by terrain type. Purposeful effort means time spent towards accomplishing the purpose of the journey. Time associated with sleeping, cooking and eating is in addition to this time.

8.6

The process

8.6.1 Initial preparation Initially the team must be briefed by their Award Leader or instructor on the concept of an Adventurous Journey. They will then need to agree the purpose, environment and mode of travel. 8.6.2 Preparation and training Training will usually be required to enable participants to undertake their journey safely, unless they are already highly skilled in the necessary techniques. More commonly, participants will need considerable training to plan and safely undertake an independent journey. This training needs to be given by a suitably qualified and/or experienced adult (instructor). After training, the instructor should be satisfied that the team is technically able to carry out the qualifying journey in a selfreliant manner. It is worth emphasizing that the Adventurous Journey, by its nature, contains an element of risk. It is important that this risk is properly managed to reduce the likelihood of an accident occurring and decrease the consequences if an accident does occur. The key to this is the proper preparation and training of the young people so that they are well prepared for their independent qualifying journey. The safety of the participants is the top priority. Necessary skills which will usually require training include: Understanding of the goals of their Adventurous Journey. First aid and emergency procedures Necessary equipment and how to use it Route planning Navigation Camp craft, including food and cooking Team building and leadership training Technical skills in the mode of travel
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Observation and recoding skills Understanding the impact of the journey on the environment Appreciating the culture within the journeys environment

8.6.3 Practice journeys Participants must undertake sufficient practice journeys to ensure that they can complete their qualifying journey safely. Even a highly skilled group of individuals must take part in at least one practice journey together to become familiar with each others ways of working and develop as a team. Practice journeys should take place in a similar environment, should use a similar mode of travel and should reflect the purpose of the qualifying journey. All conditions should be as similar as possible, but must not be over the same route as that planned for the qualifying journey. The Award Leader is to insure that the online or offline Record Book is signed to vouch that participants are suitably skilled and prepared for their qualifying venture.

8.6.4 Qualifying journey and assessment For the qualifying Adventurous Journey, the team is required to be self-sufficient and independent. In normal circumstances this will mean being unaccompanied on their journey. The qualifying journey needs to be assessed by a suitably experienced person (the Assessor). The Assessor and the Supervisor may be the same person. It is better for the teams sense of achievement if the Assessor is independent of the group. The Assessor should be looking to ensure that the minimum time requirements have been met, that participants have shown determination and effort, and that all participants have worked as a team, taking their share of responsibility for planning, undertaking and completing their journey. They should also ensure that the goals of their journey have been achieved. The Assessor should make contact with the group at least once a day to ensure the group is working according to plan and is safe. Once the entire journey is completed the Assessor should meet with the team and debrief.

8.6.5 Supervision All Adventurous Journeys (practice and qualifying) must be supervised by a suitably qualified and/or experienced adult (the Adventurous Journey Supervisor). The Supervisor is responsible for the groups safety while on the journey, needs to be

47

familiar with the Award and must be satisfied that the participants are properly trained and equipped to undertake the journey. The Supervisor and instructor may be the same person. The Supervisor should make contact with the group at least once each day. On the practice journeys, the Supervisor should provide feedback on the teams strengths and weaknesses and what areas of concern need to be addressed.

8.6.6 Review and presentation After the debrief, the team should work together on producing their report. All team members should have input into the report, which can be in any format. It should tell the story of their preparation for, and conduct of, the qualifying journey. This can also provide a permanent record for their personal recollection. At an agreed time, the team should present this report to their Assessor who then records completion of the Adventurous Journey section online or offline for all the participants, adding suitable comments.

8.6.7 Further guidance The Adventurous Journey is often the part of the Award that attracts the most attention and leaves highly memorable experiences. By its nature, it also has the scope for a significant degree of risk and so will require a certain amount of technical skill to safely manage this risk. The technical skills are means to an end and it is important that the broader aims and benefits of this section are kept in mind. Award Leaders may find that other people are better placed to deliver training in these technical skills, but they should always ensure that the wider aims are safely met and that young people get the most out of this section working as a team, planning, training and preparing for, and undertaking an independent adventurous journey in an unfamiliar and challenging environment.

8.7

Types and example of Adventurous Journey There are three types of journey which qualify under this section: 1. Exploration 2. Expedition 3. Other Adventurous Journey
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All journeys must have a clearly stated aim or purpose which can be developed and modified during the period of training and preparation. This is intended to ensure that participants develop a connection to the area in which they journey, with their senses alert to their surroundings, by observing and noting relevant facts and feeling.

8.7.1 Exploration or expedition? The difference between an exploration and an expedition is one of emphasis or degree although both require a purpose and journey. An exploration is a purpose with a journey. In an exploration, the primary focus is to observe and collect information relevant to the purpose. More time and effort is spent on this, and consequently less time is devoted to getting from one place to another. The journeying aspect remains significant, however, with a minimum of one third of the activity hours being spent on journeying. An expedition is a journey with a purpose. In an expedition, the primary focus is on the journeying. More time is devoted to this with less effort put into research and gathering information.

8.7.2 Examples of explorations and expeditions Exploring the natural world: glaciations, erosion, geology, coastal studies, river valleys, plant studies, bird studies or animal studies, insect studies Exploring historic land use: prehistoric man, historical periods Investigating the survival or extinction of a language Exploring human impact: visitor pressure in national parks, pollution monitoring, surveys of numbers of walkers in remote areas Carrying out health surveys or health education in remote areas. Completing a demanding journey by foot, cycle or canoe/ kayak Investigating group dynamic in challenging conditions Kayaking the entire navigable stretch of a river

8.7.3 Other Adventurous Journeys Occasionally, a significant expedition or exploration involving extra innovation, creativity and challenge may take place. In such circumstances, the advice and agreement of a Groups or Units Operating Authority is required to proceed. The only additional stipulation is that all participants must be aged 18 or over. It is also the case that significant Adventurous Journeys, such as scaling a Himalayan peak, would require the advice and assistance, usually at cost, of an external provider such as reliable expedition company.
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8.7.4 Examples of other Adventurous Journeys Extensive sail across an ocean Climbing an Alpine, Himalayan or other high mountainous peak Cycling from one end of a country to another or from coast to coast

8.8

Conclusion Adventure education intentionally uses challenging experiences for learning, chiming well with the Awards methodology of experiential learning. The Adventurous Journey is often quoted by participants as their most significant experience during their Award and so the successful preparation for and conduct of the Adventurous Journey is key to the participants overall Award experience.

When the mind is stretched by new experiences it can never return to its former dimensions. Dr. Kurt Hahn, German educationalist, 1886 - 1974

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Chapter 9

Residential Project
9.1 Introduction 9.2 Aim 9.3 Ethos 9.4 Impact and benefits 9.5 Requirements 9.6 The process 9.7 Examples 9.8 Conclusion

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Residential Project
9.1 Introduction The Residential Project is generally the last activity that participants undertake during their Award due to it being required to complete the Gold Award. It is also an opportunity to use many of the skills developed during the overall Award experienced such as team work and leadership.

9.2

Aim To broaden experience through involvement with others in a residential setting.

9.3

Ethos The Residential Project gives participants a shared purposeful experience with people who are not their usual companions, working towards a common goal. It should be an experience that broadens the participants outlook and horizons.

9.4

Impact and benefits The specific benefits to the participant will obviously depend on the type of residential experience chosen. Some general benefits include: Meeting new people Experiencing an unfamiliar environment Building new relationships Working as part of a team Accepting responsibility Developing communication skills Developing confidence Showing initiative Learning new skills or enhancing existing ones Enjoying living and working with others

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9.5

Requirements This is required for completion of the Gold Award. Participants are required to undertake a shared purposeful activity, with people who must not be their usual colleagues or friends and in an unfamiliar residential setting, The activity should take place over a period of at least four nights and five consecutive days. In exceptional circumstances, the commitment may be spread over two weekends. In these circumstances, the same activity must be pursued over both weekends and must take place within the same 12 month period. The Residential Project may be related to activities followed in other sections of the Award, for example a photography course having done photography for the kills section.

9.6

The process

9.6.1 Plan Participants must discuss their area of interest with their Award Leader before choosing a Residential Project. It requires a significant personal investment of time, and sometimes money and the participant should be encouraged to choose wisely from suitable opportunities. Participants should choose an activity that interests them, make the necessary enquiries and arrangements, and inform the organisation that they wish the experience to count towards their Gold Award. A suitable Assessor should be agreed with the Award Leader. This should usually be the Residential Project instructor, leader or facilitator, who can assess the participant throughout the experience and record completion of the section 9.6.2 Do Before starting the Residential Project, participants should remind the chosen Assessor that they are undertaking the activity in order to complete their Gold Award. 9.6.3 Review Participants should have the opportunity to review their experience with the Assessor at an interim point of the residential activity and at the end. The participant should be assessed on:
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Personal standards (application, punctuality and so on) Relationship with others on the activity Willingness to show initiative and take responsibility Development of skills throughout the activity Once this review is completed, the Assessor should record completion of the section, adding positive comments.

9.7

Examples There are many different opportunities for completing a Residential Project. Some suitable categories and examples are listed below. It is worth re-emphasising that the activity must be purposeful and not considered as a holiday.

9.7.1 Personal training courses Residential language course Leadership training Skills development Ecology study course Youth camps Youth parliaments

9.7.2 Environment and conservation projects Environmental clean up Volunteer work national parks Research on habitats and ecosystems Restoration of buildings

9.7.3 Service to other people and communities Provision of facilities Construction projects Assisting as a leader at an annual camp for young people Working with overseas aid charity Working in a care home or hospital

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9.7.4 Activity based Outdoor adventure courses Sports coaching Sport skills development Crew member on a tall ship There are a huge range of organisations offering residential experiences. For some of these visit your own National Award website.

9.8

Conclusion The Residential Project can have a lasting impact on both a participant and other people, often being the pinnacle of the journey through their Award. It often draws together many of the skills developed by a participant during their Award and can therefore provide both an experience and legacy.

Many of the Award sections I pursued remain my strongest interests today. The Tonga Project (to install a solar-powered water pump in a school) particularly influenced my future direction in terms of developing skills in a field of interest and providing an opportunity to have fun whilst helping solve peoples problems. I am now actively pursuing an engineering career with a long term goal of helping people from the Pacific region with sustainable technology Daniel Scott, Gold Award Holder, New Zealand

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Chapter 10

Award Leader Responsibilities and guidelines

10.1 Introduction 10.2 How to start running an Award Group 10.3 What next? 10.4 Other support 10.5 Conclusion

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Responsibilities
10.1 Introduction The content that you have covered in previous chapters of the Handbook provides you with the background to and requirements of this Award. This chapter aims to provide you with the key details to get a group of participants to start their Award programme; it will provide details of the relevant office to contact, and the steps to take to organise a group. Remember though that you are not alone your local or National Award Authority, or the International Award Foundation, will be able to support you and answer any outstanding questions that you may have.

10.2

How to start running an Award Group Now that you know about the background to an organisation of the Award, and particular details about the sections and levels of the Award, you are now in a position to enquire about how to start setting up and running an Award Group. You therefore need to:

Contact your National Award Authority (NAA) or National Award Operator (NAO), whichever is applicable in your case. They are the delegated authority in your country to deliver the Award. For specific contact details, go to the International Award Foundations website: www.intaward.org. Your NAA or NAO is responsible for ensuring that you understand the principles of the Award and are in a position to correctly deliver it to the young people associated with your organisation, offering training if necessary. Once they are satisfied, they will register your organisation as licensed operator of the Award. How this is done differs from country to country and your National Award office will provide the details.

10.2.1 What if there is no National Award Authority or Operator? In this case, you should contact The Duke of Edinburghs International Award Foundation office directly and look to register your organisation as an Independent Award Centre or Independent Award Open Centre. A full definition of these terms is provided in the Glossary in Chapter 11 of this Handbook. The relevant conditions will be sent out to you, or you can access them directly from www.intaward.org.
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Please note that The Duke of Edinburghs International Award Foundation will only license appropriate organisations that have an educational or developmental mission for their members, and who have member within the age range of the Award. A fee is payable. A licensed Independent Award Centre (IAC) or Independent Award Open Centre (IAOC) reports directly to the International Award Foundation office and it is required to keep in regular contact with them. It is responsible for the operation of the Award and the maintenance of Award requirements as set out throughout this Handbook. All IACs and IAOCs are made aware by the International Award Foundation office of relevant training opportunities to ensure that these requirements are maintained. A licensed Independent Award Centre also authorises its own Bronze and Silver Award; Gold Awards must be referred to the International Award Foundation office for authorisation. While there can only be on NAA or NAO in a country, there can be any number of IACs IAOCs. The International Award Foundation will put new IACs/IAOCs in a country in touch with existing ones. This allows IACs/ IAOCs to learn from each other and share resources or ideas to improve the delivery of the Award. If a NAA or NAO becomes established in a country, all IACs/ IAOCs in that country are required to work under its authority, unless special circumstances make this inappropriate. In this case, the advance approval of the International Award Foundation and NAA or NAO is required. Almost all of what follows is applicable to IACs/ IAOCs, with the understanding that the IAC/ IAOC should refer to the International Award Foundation instead of the NAA or NAO.

10.3

What next?

10.3.1 Get more adults involved Identify one Award Leader per Group of participants within a Unit or Centre (school, scout troop, club, workplace, etc.) who is the key point of contact and has overall responsibility for the Award Group. Ensure that the organisation has trained Award Leaders who are familiar with the Award and its unique philosophy. Your National Award office or the International Award Foundation will inform you of suitable training opportunities. Each Award Leader should have a copy of this Handbook which will serve as a useful reference.
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Research some basic opportunities for activities in each section and identify some potential Assessors and instructors. Each Assessor must also have a basic knowledge of the Award and therefore ideally they should also read the Handbook. They can get this by talking to Award Leaders and reading about the Award on www.intaward.org. It is important to recruit as much adult help as possible and to ensure that the organisation is fully behind offering the Award to its members. Running the Award may allow adults who are not normally leaders of the organisation to get involved with youth development. Parents or guardians can be a good supporting resource and obviously are required to give their permission for their child to engage in the Award, usually when aged under 18. The more adults who are prepared to get involved as Award Leaders, Assessors or general helpers, the wider the choice of activities available to young people. If there are other Award Units or Centers nearby, they should be able to help with ideas, equipment and other resources. Your NAA, NAO or the International Award Foundation office will have the details. Ensure that any necessary screening procedures are carried out for adults working directly with young people the safety of young people is vital. Assessors must be suitably experienced and qualified if necessary. All legal requirements must be enforced subject to the requirements of the country concerned.

10.3.2 Secure finance The Award need not be an expensive addition to your organisation, but some funds may be required to purchase operational literature such as this Handbook, promotional material, equipment, additional insurance if necessary, and other sundry expenses. Young people should purchase or be provided with their own Record Book or username and password for an online equivalent to ensure there is some commitment from them.

10.3.3 Publicise the Award Posters and photographs can generate interest amongst young people and potential Award Leaders, Assessors and other helpers. Other items such as videos, multimedia presentations, magazines and so on can also be useful. Your National Award office or the International Award Foundation may have some suitable material, or you may choose to make your own. Go to www.intaward.org for more ideas.

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Your organisation may also obtain publicity by approaching local or national newspapers, radio and television networks.

10.3.4 Recruit young people Explain the Award at a suitable opportunity and give your members the opportunity to enrol. Start with limited numbers to get used to running the Award. Ten to twelve young people is a good number for a Group, but if more trained adult help is available you may be able to increase the number of participants.

10.3.4 The responsibilities of an Award Leader To advise, guide and assist young people to participant in the Award To provide young people with Record Books or access to an online equivalent as well as other relevant literature To maintain the operation of the Award within the Group and/ or Unit or Centre To keep records of participants and helpers To liaise and co-ordinate activities with other operators of the Award in their area To ensure the Awards gained are authorised and presented. To publicise the Award To ensure the safety and well-being of the participants To ensure the operation of the Award in their Unit or Centre meets the requirements of the International Declaration and Principles outlined in Chapter 1, and that the standards of the Award are upheld at all times

10.4

Other support Award Leaders and other volunteers and staff are absolutely key to helping young people complete their journey through their Award. It is therefore important that they know that they know that there is a network of support available to them to assist them in their role. Specifically, Award Leaders are able to have access to:

10.4.1 Online learning hub Access to the Awards online learning hub is via www.intaward.org. This hub provides a series of learning and training opportunities and specifically provides access to online Award Leader training which should ideally be conducted with this
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Handbook as the key reference. Online Award training is still being developed and so please speaks to your National Award or the International Award Foundation in order to find out if you are able to access this option. The key benefits of online Award Leader training are that it provides for: A network or learning community that enables experienced Award Leaders to guide and mentor new Award Leaders, and for good practice and resources to be shared amongst Award Leaders globally Accreditation internationally, with the benefit that Award Leader skills and experience are transferable within the International Award Association, for example for teacher within an international school who has moved and wishes to carry on supporting the Award An accessible and cost-effective option for many Award Leaders to directly engage in both their own development, and the sharing of ideas and experience Finally, further opportunities to learn and develop your skills are available via the Awards learning hub accessed through www.intaward.org.

10.5

Conclusion The Award cannot be delivered without Award Leaders and other volunteers whose guidance and support to participants defines their journey, and ultimately the impact of the Award. The Award is also a large family in which staff and volunteers are able to help each other support participants.

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Chapter 11

Useful Information
11.1 Introduction 11.2 Resources 11.3 Partners 11.4 Glossary 11.5 Index

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Useful Information
11.1 Introduction In addition to this Handbook, there is a wealth of information available about the Award, whether its looking at specific areas around the Award impact measures, participant case studies, or information about Award merchandise. In addition, there are other organisations that both deliver the Award and advocate the benefits of the Award, some of which are outlined in this chapter. Finally, this chapter also provides some further background information about the organisation of the Award.

11.2

Resources Helpful resources from The Duke of Edinburghs International Award Foundation including customised materials, templates, videos and digital version of our publication can be downloaded by visiting the resources section of the website at www.intaward.org.

11.3

Partners The Award can potentially be used by any youth organisation or movement worldwide. There are many benefits to offering the Award, including the fact that participants can receive additional recognition for activities that they are already undertaking. The Award is used by many different groups including schools and colleges, employees, social clubs, uniformed and non-uniformed youth organisations, young offenders, institutions, and sports clubs and business. Some of the key organisations that the Award is partnered with are:

Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) European Council of International Schools (ECIS) Various UN agencies including UNODC and UN-HABITAT International Corrections and Prison Association (ICPA) Various businesses such as HSBC and JCB

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11.3.1 The Alliance of Youth CEOs The Award is also a member of The Alliance of Youth CEOs, a group of non -formal education youth organisations, which includes the Award. It comprises the following organisations:

World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) World Association of Girl Guideds and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) Young Mens Christian Association (YMCA) World Young Womens Christian Association (YWCA) International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) The Duke of Edinburghs International Award Foundation

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